Meet a couple of your fellow URMIA members and what they do
Juan M. Azcarate III at Dallas College
Title:
Senior Managing Director, Risk Management
Hometown:
El Paso, Texas
Alma Mater:
UT, El Paso
Degrees/Certification:
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Master’s degree in Public Administration
What was your first job?
Claims Representative/Adjuster for Texas Employer’s Insurance Association
How did you start your career in risk management?
Working for El Paso Electric Company as their Claims/Risk Manager
Years in Risk Management:
35 years of claims and risk management experience and the last 20 years in risk management
Role in URMIA this year:
Director on URMIA’s Board of Directors since 2021 with my term ending in 2025. I served as a volunteer, speaker, and moderator during the Baltimore annual conference.
What's the biggest change you've seen in the risk management and insurance industry since you've been in it?
Risk management used to be about claims and working on an organization’s insurance renewals. Risk management has become so much more in the past 30 years. Organizations are now having to assess risk from an enterprise-wide perspective and how this impacts stakeholders at every level.
What emerging risks concern you the most?
ChatGPT/AI and declining enrollments are likely the most concerning especially how it will affect higher education institutions.
What's the most interesting situation you've encountered in your job?
I believe being part of the faculty as an adjunct professor provides me with a unique perspective to see risk from various angles. Typically, faculty in higher education institutions are a challenge but I welcome their input and my insight as a faculty member gives me a unique look at how they see the rest of our stakeholders.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
My most exciting and rewarding times have been collaborating with our stakeholders and working together to come up with risk solutions. Every day brings new challenges and interfacing with various people. This is what keeps me engaged in my profession.
What do you most appreciate about URMIA?
It is amazing how much I talk about URMIA with my family but also with other risk professionals who are not familiar with the organization. They probably think I do marketing for URMIA but, in my opinion, URMIA is more than an organization. Personally, it has become a family of higher education professionals who are able to interact freely and willingly about risk issues on their campuses.
What's your favorite book, movie, and/or hobby?
I am an avid reader and enjoy reading about history and current events. On the serious side, I enjoy watching “Gladiator.” I also enjoy funny movies such as “Naked Gun” and “Hot Shots.” I also enjoy cycling.
What is your favorite beverage and/or food?
I am not big on drinking but do enjoy my tea.
What do your friends and family think you do?
Initially, when I got into my profession, my family had a hard time understanding what I do. One thing they have witnessed is my passion for what I do. I enjoy what I do and hope that this passion will stay with me for a long time.
Jessica Peña at Indiana Tech
Title:
Senior Financial Analyst/Risk Manager
Hometown:
Portland, Oregon
Alma Mater:
DeVry University for a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Indiana Tech for a MBA
What was your first job?
Barista at a drive-thru coffee place
How did you start your career in risk management?
My risk management career started at Indiana Tech. I have always been the person in the room who worries about everything and lists what could go wrong (to talk through prevention and mitigation). Learning about URMIA and meeting people who do risk management full-time was eye-opening, and I knew at the first regional conference that I had found my people.
Years in Risk Management:
7 years
Role in URMIA this year:
Member. I’ve been a conference attendee and on committees in the past and look forward to both in the future.
What's the biggest change you've seen in the risk management and insurance industry since you've been in it?
The tightening of the insurance market, and the increased risk mitigation requirements to keep policies renewable are the biggest changes I’ve seen.
What emerging risks concern you the most?
AI and how it will impact cyber-security is the most concerning to me.
What's the most interesting situation you've encountered in your job?
My two favorites to research were when we were asked to land a helicopter on campus, and when one of the student clubs asked not only to launch small rockets but to bring minors on campus to join the project.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
I love when a student organization or faculty member comes up with a new idea that will enhance the learning and experiences of the students, and I can help them work through logistics to make it happen.
What do you most appreciate about URMIA?
Knowing that there is a network I can reach out to when new things come up, and that I’m not alone in this! I appreciate the community of sharing knowledge and being able to help others with what I have learned, too.
What's your favorite book, movie, and/or hobby?
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson.
What is your favorite beverage and/or food?
Anything I haven’t tried before. I love food adventures.
What do your friends and family think you do?
They think I sit in front of spreadsheets all day, make lists, and tell people no, they can’t do dangerous things. (Mostly accurate, although I like working with people to find a way to get to “yes” safely.)
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